Judge clears way for Yellowstone bison slaughter
Decision will be appealed
513 bison at risk of being slaughtered
Western Watersheds Project, Buffalo Field Campaign, Tatanka Oyate, Gallatin Wildlife Association, Native Ecosystems Council, Yellowstone Buffalo Foundation filed for a temporary restraining order in hopes of keeping Yellowstone National Park from sending 513 bison being held in the Stephens Creek capture facility to slaughter. Unfortunately, but expectedly, Judge Charles Lovell denied our request.
The decision will be appealed to the 9th Circuit.
Judge clears way for Yellowstone bison slaughter.
By Laura Zuckerman | Reuters

Ken Cole
Ken Cole is a 5th generation Idahoan, an avid fly fisherman, wildlife enthusiast, and photographer. He is the interim Idaho Director for Western Watersheds Project. We do not accept unsolicited “guest” authors or advertising.
19 Responses to Judge clears way for Yellowstone bison slaughter
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A “time honored” tradition???!!!! Really? Loading over 1,600 bison in livestock trailers & hauling them off to the butcher shop is just like a hunting season? Wow. So exactly when did this “time honored” tradition begin??? Oh say, maybe the 1800’s when anyone could shoot unlimited numbers of bison from a train? We all recall how that “time honored” tradition worked out for bison back then…near extinction.
Worse yet, he ignored new scientific evidence because it was unpublished and not peer-reviewed while accepting unpublished, un-peer reviewed reports from the NPS…Arbitrary & capricious is the very definition of Lovell’s decision. This is disgusting & extremely disappointing.
yes Petticoat, shows you how “unbiased” even judges can be.
At least there is a motion to get this stopped. Me and my buddies have donated to these groups, and I highly recommend you do too. At least I don’t feel totally helpless (by donating and supporting those groups) watching this travesty happen.
hmmm……………..maybe there’s something else going on here?
http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/is_the_west_running_out_of_bison_again/C619/L619/
In a capitalist world anything’s okay as long as someone is making a killing… I mean money from it.
But bison are not livestock- isn’t that a buffalo on the Department of the Interior emblem?
Does anyone expect the appeal to be successful? Please say “yes.”
Why does it seem like the enemies of wildlife have more power now than when Bush was in office and republicans controlled all of congress?
More like a “time honored tradition” of failing to protect these iconic beasts!! Well said Petticoat Rebellion–this is indeed a very disappointing and repulsive decision by the Judge. Why do people, government agencies, and now judges choose to base their decisions on poor/unproven science?
When I read this ruling yesterday, I was simply speechless, I have been involved in the Bison issues for 20 years now, and I have never seen such a statement made or a justification used…! I am floored!
“Distasteful as the lethal removal may be to some, it is clearly one of the foremost management tools – time honored – necessarily utilized to protect the species, the habitat, and the public.” – Judge Charles Lovell, February 14, 2011 (this sickening quote reminds of John C. Calhoun’s defense of slavery: Slavery a Positive Good – see http://teachingamericanhistory.org/library/index.asp?document=71 ).
“We of the South will not, cannot, surrender our institutions. To maintain the existing relations between the two races, inhabiting that section of the Union, is indispensable to the peace and happiness of both. It cannot be subverted without drenching the country or the other of the races. . . . But let me not be understood as admitting, even by implication, that the existing relations between the two races in the slaveholding States is an evil:far otherwise; I hold it to be a good, as it has thus far proved itself to be to both, and will continue to prove so if not disturbed by the fell spirit of abolition. I appeal to facts. Never before has the black race of Central Africa, from the dawn of history to the present day, attained a condition so civilized and so improved, not only physically, but morally and intellectually.”
Calhoun: Slavery = good for African Americans and public
Lovell: Slaughter = good for buffalo and public
Good point, Jim.
The way things are going I’m not surprised we aren’t seeing a comeback of the slavers.
Nice. Link the suffrage of buffalo to the Nazi’s also!
It’s called stupidity, and as such could be linked to a thousand issues. Some relative, and some not.
Obviously, the news has just changed, but on this issue. People play rhetorical games all the time; the onus is on you to show that the reasoning in the analogy doesn’t hold, not on me to answer the usual fallacious charge that the analogy is inappropriate (which is simply a criticism that begs the question).
Jim, my comments were directed to wolf mod. I couldn’t agree with you more.
So were mine … sorry for the confusion.
Wow, I don’t see how this judges “time honored tradition” justification holds up in a court that isn’t inebriated.
Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer has signed an executive order blocking the shipment of hundreds of Yellowstone National Park bison to slaughter.
http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/article_eda6e774-394e-11e0-9115-001cc4c03286.html
Am I reading this article correctly? Although I believe it’s due to ulterior motives x 10, has Gov. Schweitzer actually made a stand of some sort on the well being of our “time-honored” bison herds??????????